The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-10-15
LESSON FOR OCTOBER %. 1887.
BY REV. ROBERT T. POLK.
THREE MIRACLES.
The SINNERS FRIEND.
Matthew tx. 1881

II appears probable that when JESUS and
his disciples returned to Capernaum (1) from
the other side of the lake of Gaiilee, the
country of the Gadarenes (vii. 1929, Mat
thew, one of his disciples, the probable au-
thor of our Gospel, who had been tax COL
lector (publican), made banquet in honor
of his Master to which he invited his former
associates, " the publicans and sinners" to
meet JESUS and his chosen disciples. The
miracles described in our Lesson, appear to
have occurred Immediately in connection
with the feast.
We are not to suppose that the guests in
yited to Matthew's feast were desperately
wicked persons. The pttblicGns were de-
spised by the Jews, chiefly because the Ro-
man tax was hateful to them, though many
of them have been extortionists The SIN
ners were those who were separated from the
synagogue by the ruling of the Scribes and
Pharisees, the unreligious generally, of whom
every nation and community have,a consider
able number. This class was probably large
ly represented among the publicans. The
word sinners in Scripture is employed sozae-
what as it is used in the modern popular
pbrase "Saints and Sinners" equivalent to
"The Church and the World. The Pharisees
were too exclusively pious to associate with
such people and questioned the religious
character of JESUS when he saw him famil-
iarly associating and apparently friendly
with them. They accused him OF being :" a
friend of publicans and sinners" Xxi. 19),
JESUS replied to them saying, "They that are
whole (hale or healthy have no need of a
physician, but they that are sick' (12). The
force of the illustration is manifest; the ply
stefan goes among the sick, why should not
the Saviour of the World go among sinners?
The oeremonially righteous Pharisees were
afraid of being polluted by contact with
such; the spiritually and truly righteous
JESUS would associate with them, that be the
means of their publication. AS if to give
life and action to his metaphor, JESUS goes
forth from the house of feasting to restore
the little daughter OF a ruler of the synagogue
who was dying duke viii. 42), and on the
way permits an unclean person to touch him,
whom he heals of her polluting disease, and
afterward gives sight and speech to the blind
and dumb (32-34).
Inc miracles OF JESUS are, 80 W epedh, bno
parallels of his life, illustrating his mission
to the world as King of souls and Saviour of
men. Sin is sickness Salvation is health
and healing. The spiritual influence and
authority of JESUS, and his power to cure the
worlds sins, are Divinely indicated by his
power manifested over disease and death
and the forces of Nature. His disposition as
the "Friend of Sinners" is shown in his
manifest sympathy and kindness toward the
despised and distressed of mankind.
Those who interpret the Gospel mira
Giles :" as symbolic stories, view them as ap-
propriate and impressive illustrations of the
Divine Mission of JESUS as the Friend and
Saviour of Mankind. They represent him as
the Great Physician-his own chosen meta
phor, employed to justify his friendlinees to-
ward the despised Sinners and are regarded
as types of the spiritual power and work of
JESUS and his religion in the redemption of
the world from sin and sorrow. See para
graph iv. in last study.